1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal having a microphone, and, more particularly, to a mobile communication terminal and method for performing an automatic incoming call notification mode change.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of a mobile communication terminal include a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular phone, a Personal Communication Service (PCS) phone, and other mobile devices having communication capabilities.
With increasing dissemination of mobile communication terminals, a majority of users tend to carry mobile communication terminals with them all the time. However, as the popularity of mobile communication terminals soars, there is growing social concern about adverse effects from their use. Bells ringing on a mobile communication terminal when there is an incoming call increases noise pollution, and is particularly bothersome at important meetings, movie theaters, rallies, and other places where many people gather together and should be silent.
For example, receiving an incoming call at a library when an incoming call notification mode of a mobile communication terminal is set to a bell mode, noisy bell sound irritates people inside the library.
Conversely, if an incoming call notification mode is set to a bell mode at a noisy place such as that where a rock concert is held, a user may not realize that an urgent phone call is incoming due to ambient noise.
A conventional approach to solving the above problems is to prohibit the use of a mobile communication terminal using a radio wave blocking device for blocking radio waves from a mobile communication system in a specific area. However, the conventional approach can be applied only to an extremely limited environment, partly due to the high cost of installing the radio wave blocking device.
When the radio wave blocking device is not installed, a subscriber should set the appropriate mode each time ambient conditions change.
Another drawback of the conventional approach is that an urgent call cannot be received due to prohibition of the use of a mobile communication terminal, thus causing user inconvenience.
Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a mobile communication terminal and method for automatically changing an incoming call notification mode depending on the place where the mobile communication terminal is used.